Pineapple rasam

   With few pineapple slices, left over, I settled at this recipe , found at Chef Damodharan's cookbook.  The recipe was very simple, though I twisted the rasam masala with few curry leaves and green chillies addition.  The result was delicate, sweet and sour peppery rasam.  Kids would love it because of an different, 'sweet' quotient into them.  And, elders would welcome an new change.

So, do try and let us know.  Moving on to the recipe.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time : 10 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients required

For the rasam masala

• 21/2 tsp whole cumin seeds/ jeera
• 1 tsp whole peppercorn
• 6-8 tiny garlic pods
• 3/4 tsp finely chopped green chillies
• 8-10 whole curry leaves

Others

• 1 tbspn of oil
• 3/4 tsp of mustard seeds
• Pinch of hing/asafoetida
• Pinch of haldi/turmeric powder
• 1/2 cup of finely chopped pineapple 
• 1/4 cup of finley chopped tomatos
•  1/4 cup of tuvar dal
• Salt, to taste

Method

Coarsely grind all, under rasam masala, without adding water, keep aside.  Soak tuvar dal for atleast twenty minutes and pressure cook them for two whistles with half cup of water.  Blend them , and keep aside.   

Heat oil.  Add mustard seeds and wait till they splutter.

Now, add in hing and turmeric.  Finally add corase paste of rasam masala.  Saute them for an minute.  

Add in pineapple and tomato pieces.  Saute for five to ten minutes, till they turn soft.  

Finally add in mashed tuvar dal, and add salt to taste.  

Let the rasam froth towards the edges.  Switch off the flame and serve hot.  

Enjoy with hot rice  :)

Happy cooking :)

Linking this to Srivalli's CCC Challenge

Apple Galette

      Galette is an free form of pie.  They are from French Cuisine and can be made both sweet and savoury.  Since I had lot of Simla Apples left in my refrigerator, I made Apple Galette.  They made an very light dessert and we enjoyed having these.  

A big thanks to Swathi Iyer  and Suja for suggesting such an wonderful recipe.  Tastewise these resembled the pie and with the given recipe for shorcrust pastry, I made two 7-inch Apple Galette.  Let us move to the recipe

Ingredients required:

For shortcrust pastry

• 11/4 cup All purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornflour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 55 grams of unsalted butter, cut into tiny cubes.
• 11/2 tbspn of cold water

For filling

• 140 grams of Apple, peeled, cut into thin slices
• 1/2 tsp of lemon juice
• 1 tbspn of unsalted butter
• 1 tsp of cinnamon powder
• 2 tsp of sugar

To top with

• 2 tsp of granulated sugar

Method

For shortcrust pastry, add both the flours, salt, sugar in an dry bowl and mix them together. 

Rub in butter cubes into the flour till the flour resembles breadcrumbs.  

Add in cold water till the crumbs form an soft dough.

The soft dough should be firm enough to hold.  To test, take an pinch of dough, if it breaks apart, then it needs more water.  If they hold shape, then dough is complete.  

Cling wrap them and refrigerate for an minimum of two hours.   For the filling add the sliced apples to lemon juice.  This helps in preventing discolouration.  Melt butter, add in cinnamon, sugar and mix till sugar dissolves.  Toss around the apple slices and cool.  

Remove the shortcrust dough from cling wrap and let them come to room temperature, preheat the oven to 180 degree celsius.   Divide into two halves.   Roll first half  sandwiched between two butter  sheets.

After they reach 1/8inch thickness, add in the filling leaving 3 inch gap around the edges.

Using hands, fold the edge up forming loose frills, covering the filling.  

Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake them for 20-25 minutes.  Cool them in wire rack and serve.  

Linking this to Baking partners run by Swathi Iyer.

Happy Baking :)  :)